Ski binding



' Aug. 19, 1930. B N 1,773,396

SKI BINDING Filed July 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 19, 1930. D. GIBSON 1,773,396

SKI BINDING Filed July 25', 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 19, 1930 sates! cr es LOUISI). Gnsson, or NORWAY,.MAINE, ASSIGNOR To w. F, rrUBBs COMPANY, or

NORWAY, MAINE, A conronii'rioivor iviiiiivn SKI BINDING Application filed July '23,

I My invention relates to ski bindings relatesparticularly to ski bindings of the of given size to accommodate shoe soles of different thickn essesand width.

. An object, therefore, of my inventioniisto' provide a ski binding in which'th'e toe irons are variably adjustable to provide for the accommodation of different widths of shoe soles as may be desired which are adapted to be tightly secured to the ski by straps co- I operating with'the said binding.

Another object of my invention is to provide means cooperating with the toe irons of a ski binding and which will rigidly hold the two toe irons in any one of a number of different laterallyadjustable positions to which, they maybe adjusted.

Another object of my invent-ionis to provide for a ski binding, the lateral adjustment of the toe irons in a simple expeditious manner. Another object of my invention is to provide or the rigid mounting of laterally adjustable toe irons for a ski binding in a i simple inexpensive manner;

" Another object-of my invention isto provide for the accommodation of shoe soles of difierent thicknesses within a ski bindin in a veryeifectiveVmanner;'

' Another-object of my invention is'to provide for a greater variation in thickness of {shoe soles, than that usually provided in ski bindings now in use with which I I :ftl'fl familiar.

7 Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become -more apparent from the-following description and in which description reference will be had to the ac-' -coinpanying drawin embodiments of my invention. Referring to the drawings:

vs illustrating dilierent Fig. 1 shows an inside elevational view of an embodiment, of my invention, together with fragments ofthe rear and toe harness straps, and of the ski to which the-embodiment binding is illustrated as applied;

Fig..r.2 is a'plan view of. the ski binding bodiment;

Fig. 15 isa 13 and :14. 1

192 seriai noqaeersc.

together with a-fragment of a iioiz-izontal medial section of the ski to which the binding v is applied; i

Fig. 3 is aside elevational view-and Fig.

'4 is a plan View of a toe plate ofthe binding,

said embodiment; 1

Fig. 8 shows the key of Fig. 7 in plan view;

Fig. 9' ,is' a plan view of the clamping wedges which may be employed, preferably in pairs, incoinbination with the said em- Fig-1O is a longitudinal medial sectional view of a fragment of ski through a ski bindiii'g Whichis constructed in accordance with the embodiment :of my invention illustrated in the foregoing figures; and ig. 11 and Fig. 12, show, respectively, views taken in the same manner as that of Fig 2, but each of different other embodiments of my invention, H Fig.- 13 is a' transverse sectional view of a skitaken through, the slot and showing in elevation acorrugated key; 7

F ig. M is an isometric view ofthe gated key of Fig. 13; and 1 7 1 7 plan view. of the key of F igs.

corru- .Referring first to" the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figsrl tolO, in-

clusive, the skibinding IHQChELHlSIDAOf my invention as; embodied therein, comprises a pair of oppos tely formed toe irons, the one comprising a base 3 and a side plate 5 and Y the other comprising a based anda side plate 6; The bases3 and 4' for the toe irons are projected from opposite sides of the 'ski'l, into the slot 2, thetbase 3 being superposed .7

over thebase 4;the thickness of the pair of bases Ibeing preferably great enoughrto fit of the slot The bases Sand, 4 are each provided with a serrated border 22 at their rear edge portions; u

A metallic liner 23 having an outer face snugly between the upper'and lower .walls 24 of serrated form, and terminal prongs are secured to the ski 1 within the slot by forcibly pressing the prongs 25 into the wood material of the ski at the rear of the slot. The rear surface of the liner 23 may be of any suitable form, such as the serrated form, as shown. The teeth formed by serrating the liner 23 are adapted to fit between the opposing teeth of the two base flanges 3 and a, the liner being sufiiciently wide from its top to its bottom edge to fit snugly between the upper and lower surfaces of the slot 2 and to make engagement with the serrated edges of the two flanges 3 and 4.

One or more pairs of wedges, such as 2627, may be driven into the slot 2 intermediate its forward wall 28 and the forwardly disposed edges 29 of the iron flanges 3 and 4.

The toe iron base flanges 3 and lsupport at their oppositely disposed lateral ends, the toe iron side plates 5 and 6, respectively, to which by buttons 7 and 8, respectively, a

rear strap 9 is adapted to be detachably con nected by virtue of terminal hooks 10, one of which is secured by copper rivets 11 to each end of the strap, the slot 12 having the form illustrated with an enlarged portion 13 adapted to admit the head of the. button 7 therethrough and a narrow end portion 1 1.

The head portion 15 of the vertical toe iron plates 5 and 6 is arcuately slotted at 16 to admit a looped end of a toe strap 17 which passes over the toe of the boot which is to be secured to the ski by the binding. The toe side plates 5 and 6 are also provided with preferably parallel slots 18 and 19 extending parallel to the longitudinal forward edge 20 of the side plates. The slots 18 and 19 have successively diverging and converging walls in order. there being preferably a plurality of the diverging walls followed in each case by the same number of converging walls, for a purpose later to be more particularly described. but in general for he purpose of adjustably supporting a toe clip 21 extending inwardly from the plate 5 onthe plate at desired spaced relation to the top surface of the ski 1.

The toe clip is preferably formed as a head of a bolt having a squared neck portion 31. and a threaded end 32. adapted to receive a nut 33. In a squared neck, the bolt is acapted to snugly fit within one of the squared openings 3 1, and 36 of either of the slots, so called, 18 or 19. The interconnecting squared openings are formed, as shown, by the diverging and converging walls of the slot. A pair of the toe clips 21 is aflixed to the side plates 5 and 6,.respectively,by inserting their threaded ends 32 oppositely from the inner surface of the plates through a selected one or" the interconnecting squared openings 35 or 36 of the slots 18 or 19 and the nuts '33 are threaded lightly on the bolts 30 to secure The link connector for detachably secur- 7o ing the ends of the rear strap 9 to the side plates comprises, as shown, a pair of buttons 7 and 8 riveted tightly onto the trailing portion of the side plates and having enlarged heads adapted to be projected into the enlarged opening 13 through the fastener 10 and then the fastener is moved rearwardly to eflfect a disposition of the reduced neck portion of the buttons within the reduced slot at 14, which interconnects with the large open- :ing 13.

From the foregoing, the operation of the ski binding of the embodiment of my inven tion illustrated in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, will be readily understood. The user projects the: 5

toe of his boot between the toe plates 5 and 6 with the laterally projecting wall portion projected below the toe clips 21. The side plates 5 and 6 extend convergingly towards the front of the ski, so that the end of the boot, when the rear harness 9 is placed around the heel,.will be wedged forwardly between the side plates and restrain from lateral upward movement for engagement between the upper surfaces of the sole and the toe clips.

The base flanges 3 and a pressed rearwardly by a great pressure exerted between the wedges 26 and 27 to effect a very tight closefltting engagement between the serrate d edges of the flanges and the serrated surface of the 109 liner 23, the teeth of the liner and plates being interlocked so that lateral movements of the flanges relative to the liner is effectually prevented, the liner by virtue of the pressure effected by the wedges interlocking the side plates and the locking of both to the ski.

In Fig. 11, another embodiment of my invention is provided with no metallic liner 23, but interlocking of the metallic base flanges 3 and l and locking of the base flanges to the 110 ski 1 is eflected by the teeth 44 of the serrated edges 22 being forced into the wood material of the ski slot vertical rear wall so as to form this wall to a complementary serrated form.

This maybe accomplished by a special pressing operation prior to the driving of the wedges 26' and 27', or, especially where the wood material of the ski is not too hard, is relied upon to eil'ect suflicient pressure on the plate flanges to form the rear wall of the 1% slot, such a formed rear wall making engagement with the serrated edges will prevent lat eral movement of the flanges within the slot.

In Fig. 12, an arrangement is illustrated varying from the above in that a plurality of pressure plates 39, 10, 41 and 42 are illustrated as being interposed between the front wall 28 of the slot 2 and the wedges 26 and 27", one of-these, the pressure plate 42, being illustrated as making locking engagement by its serrated to effect interlocking of the toe iron base flanges to prevent relative lateral movements thereof and moreover to effect locking of each of the base flanges to a lateral wall of the slot.

Figs. 14: and 15 illustrate, respectively-in 'ja form of plate in-.

isometric and plan view, terlocking key adapted to be substituted for the key of Figs. 7 and 8.

The element of Figs. 8 and 7 is of corrugated form being angularly bent at short intervals throughout its length and terminates at onesideinsharpened ends 62 and 63, Fig. 15,

which are adapted to serve substantially the same purpose as the end prongs of Fig. 8, and to all intents and purposes are end prongs for the key element, though of short length. The key of Figs. 14 and .15 is preferably bowed, the generally concavely curved surface having the terminal prongs 62 and 63 projecting from its face.

These prongs make an initial bite into the I wood material of the ski in a manner analogous with the prongs as shown in Fig. 2, though they do not project so deeply.

In using the generally concave convex key of Figs. 14 and 15, it is placed with the teeth projecting from itsgenerally convex side to ward the teeth 22 and 24 of the platebases 3 and 4 and interlocked with these teeth when the wedges 26 and 27 are driven home, as 111 Fi 2.

The inherent resiliency of the key 60 re- I sisting the flattening effort imparted by the driven wedges maintains at all times resiliently maintained contact between'the several sets of, teeth for the plate bases and key. The end prongs 61 and 62 and the intermediate serration points engaging the wo-od material at the end surface of the slot for the ski l, prevent lateral movement of the locked plate bases in the slot. Fig. 12 shows the key 60 in one embodiment of my invention.

In the embodiments of my inventionillustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, reliance is mainly placed, in both said embodiments, upon the forming of a wooden serrated lateral slot surface for effecting locking of the base flanges to the ski. Although in Fig. 12,inte1'- locking of the two base flanges is made addi- .tional certain by the provision of thepressure plate 42 having the teeth of. its rearwardly disposed surface projected in common between teeth of the two base flanges.

In Figs. 13 and 14:, I have shown amethod restrain the flanges and each having upstanding 7 "portions and base flanges, the flanges of the too irons being, projected from opposite sides of aifixingthe corrugated key in the slot which '7 extends transversely throughthe ski, without resorting to the pointed ends of the embodiment of Fig. 7 The key 60 which is slightly curved in a vertical direction in the portion intermediateits ends, substantially as shown, is inserted into the slot with thecorrugated sides horizontal and then rotated about its longitudinal axis, in the slot, through an arc of 90. The ends ofthe key, which touch the line X'X,.Fig. 14-,dig into thematerial of the'ski at the portions adjacent the edges of the ski a'ndfthe intermediate upper portion 61 engages the upper wall of-theslot.

' Having thus described my invention in several embodiments,I am aware that numeroils and extensive spirit'of my Iclaimr- I 1. I11 a ski binding,'in combination with a transversely "slotted ski, of a pair of toe irons, each having upstanding lateral toe engaging portions and base flanges,-the flanges of the toe irons being projected from opposite sides of theski into'the-slot and disposed in superinventionel posedrelation therein, and a common key ef-;

fecting'interlocking of the base flanges engaging a lateral edge of each flange, each of'the flanges having an;-edge portion indentured withrespecttoa portion of the key, and means including end'prongs for said key indentured into thewood' material of the slot walls to key from lateral movements'in the slot. a g

2. In. a skibinding,in combination with a transverselyjslottedski, of a pair of toe irons, lateral toe engaging of the ski into the slot and disposed in superposed relation therein, and a common key effectinginterlocking of the base flanges engaging aflateral edge of each flange, and

means including end prongs for saidkey indentured into the wood material of the slot walls to restrain the" flanges and key from lateral movements. in "the slot, saidkey coinprising a tootheddnetallic plate, portions "of the teeth of which being projectedbetween icomplementaryteeth formed in a corresponding edgeof each of the flanges. 1

3.} In a ski bindinglfor transversely slotted skis, a liner element having teethformed thereon on both ofits opposite sides, a slot end wallhaving atoothed surface, of a pair of toe irons for each side of the ski to which th e'ski harness maybe secured, each iron comprising anoppositely extending 'base flange'projected from opposite, sides of the ski in superposed-relation into the slot and each o-fsaid base flanges being provided with a tooth adapted. to be interchangeably received between pairs of teethprovided on the departures may be madefrom-the embodiments herein illustrated and described but without departing from the I icross-sectional-form,

serrated surface of said liner, and means effeotive to tightly press of the flanges and liner together, and teeth projecting from sides of said key into the toothed surface of said slot end wall.

4. In a ski-binding, in combination with .a pair of toe irons having a pair of opposite laterally disposed upstanding flanges, and a base therefor, means to secure the irons to the ski by their base portions, and a pair of shoe sole retaining toe clips carried by the flanges,

one by each flange, and comprising an elongated toe clip extending inwardly therefrom, a stem for the clip integrally secured thereto at one side of the longitudinal middle thereoi, said stem comprising a neck of polygonal each of the flanges comprising openings therethrough of such polygonal form as Wlll receive the neck projected therethrough, and adapted to make closefitting engagement with the polygonal walls of the stem, and means disposed at the outer sides of the flanges adapted .to prevent displacement of the clips, said neck adapted to be inserted through its flange opening in either of two oppositely rotated positions, whereby said clip may be adjusted to a greater or less distance from the base to accommodate shoe soles of diflerent thicknesses.

5. In aski binding. in combination with a transversely slotted ski, of a pair of toe irons, each having upstanding lateral toe engaging portions and base flanges, the flanges of the toe irons being projected from opposite sides of the ski into the slot and disposed in superposed relation therein, and a common key effecting interlocking of the base flanges engaging a lateral edge of each flange, and means to restrain the lateral movements in the slot, said key comprising a toothed curved metallic plate, portions of the teeth of which are projected between complementary teeth formed in a corresponding edge of each of the flanges,

6. In a ski binding, in combination with atransversely slotted ski, of a pair of toe irons, each having upstanding lateral toe engaging portions and base flanges, the flanges of the toe irons being projected from opposite sides of the ski into the slot and disposed in superposed relation therein, and a common key eftecting interlocking of the base flanges gaging a lateral edge of each flange, and means to restrain the flanges and key from lateral movements in the slot, said 'key comprising a toothed metallic plate, bowed in a direction laterally of said teeth, portions of the teeth of which being projected between complementary teeth formed in a corresponding edge oteach of the flanges.

In testimony whereof I'hereunto aflix my signature this 16th day of July, 1928.

LOUIS D. GIBSON.

the toothed portions flanges and key from 

